


Happy Birthday

by RebelMage



Category: The Wicked Years Series - Gregory Maguire, Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: F/F, Modern AU, Non-binary character, birthday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-27
Updated: 2013-12-27
Packaged: 2018-01-06 09:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1105193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelMage/pseuds/RebelMage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Elphaba's birthday, and everyone either doesn't know or doesn't care.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> This is a birthday fic for my friend [Núria](http://aqueenaloneandfree.tumblr.com/)!  
> I know; I suck at titles. Bleh.  
> Also, this has not been beta'd, so there will probably be mistakes.

The thing is, it’s not like Elphaba expected any different. Every year, it’s the same thing. Why should they even care about their birthday, anyway? It’s just another year in their miserable existence. If anything, it should be a mourning day. Their father seems to think so, anyway. Still, they can’t help feeling disappointed when their birthday turns out to be a day just like any other. Nessa is a sweetheart, but she wouldn’t want to anger their father, so she didn’t do anything for Elphaba’s birthday, either.

It’s not like they had expected things to have changed. Miracles don’t happen. Sure, Elphaba at least has a friend now – and they can’t help but smile when they think of Galinda, a funny feeling bubbling up in them – but there’s no way Galinda could have known.

They flop down on their bed, opening their laptop. They need to take out their frustration on something, and it’s a guarantee that someone is Wrong On The Internet.

They’ve just typed out several paragraphs explaining why some person’s opinion is not _just an opinion_ when their phone buzzes, announcing a new message.

Elphaba grasps around for their phone, eyes still on the screen, and they almost fall off the bed before grabbing it. ‘You’re the epitome of grace,’ they tell themself. Their heart flutters as they see it’s a message from Galinda.

_i need you to meet me. right. now. or else. xxx_

Elphaba rolls their eyes, although a fond smile appears on their face. _Feeling so threatened right now._

_youd better. xxx_

_Need you to tell me where to meet, though. Can’t read minds._

_come to my place. xxx_

_Of course, your highness._

_meanie_

Elphaba can easily picture the pout on Galinda’s face. As they prepare to leave, they smile to themself, actually glad for the distraction.

 

The wind outside is cold, and Elphaba curses Galinda for making them walk through this frosty weather. It isn’t even snowing yet, which would at least have been a small consolation. The walk to Galinda’s is also too long. Elphaba scowls at everyone and everything in their way, aware they are being a bit irrational but not caring at all. They’re in a bad mood and the world should deal with it.

When they _finally_ arrive at Galinda’s place – which really did not take as long as Elphaba makes it out to be – they ring the doorbell for far too long, taking some pleasure from that small act.

Elphaba can hear hurried footsteps from inside shortly before Galinda opens the door, a huge smile on her face as bleach-blonde curls dance around her face.

‘Elphie!’ she exclaims as she all but drags Elphaba inside. She’s changed since Elphaba saw her earlier in the day; she’s now wearing a light blue dress that contrasts with her dark skin. Elphaba feels that someone should really keep track of how often Galinda changes outfits in one day.

Snapping out of the daydream, Elphaba curtseys, smiling at Galinda. ‘I have arrived, your highness! I do hope I didn’t take too long.’

Sure enough, Galinda pouts back at them, crossing her arms in front of her. However, barely a moment later, she goes back to smiling as she drags Elphaba up the stairs, toward her room, yelling at them to hurry up. To Elphaba’s surprise, she stops shortly before they reach her room, turning to face Elphaba.

‘Elphie, I want you to close your eyes and not open them until I tell you to.’

Elphaba is about to refuse, but Galinda raises an eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips. If Elphaba has to be completely honest, Galinda looks absolutely _adorable_ , but they pretend to be scared as they hold their hands up in the air. ‘Okay, okay!’ Galinda cocks her head and Elphaba rolls their eyes before closing them. ‘They’re closed. Promise.’

Galinda makes a satisfied little noise and pulls Elphaba along with her, only pausing for a second to open her bedroom door. Elphaba trips as they get pulled into the room, but Galinda catches them just in time. ‘Oops, sorry! Just a second!’ Galinda says, keeping a hand on Elphaba’s hip as she guides them to stand somewhere in her room. Elphaba can feel their pulse quickening, and, really, this is not the right time for this; they’ve been happily denying any sort of romantic feelings they have for Galinda for weeks now, and they’re satisfied with that arrangement.

Galinda lets go of Elphaba, but she tells them to ‘Keep your eyes closed for a little longer!’ as she walks through the room. Elphaba can hear a click coming from somewhere in front of them and, a couple of seconds later, Galinda says, ‘You can open them!’

Elphaba does, and they’re surprised at what they see. In front of them is a small table – which wasn’t anywhere in the room when Elphaba was last there – with pillows thrown around it, and on the table sits a cupcake with a lit candle in it. When Elphaba raises their eyes at Galinda, they see that she’s smiling brightly at them. ‘Happy birthday!’

Not knowing what to say, Elphaba just gapes at her for a moment, before gathering their wits again. ‘How… How did you know?’ A small smile appears on their face, but they cover it with a hand.

Bouncing up to them, Galinda replies, ‘I have my sources. Don’t question them. Now, sit down!’ She pushes Elphaba to sit down on one side of the table, on some pillow, and then she sits down on the other side. When Elphaba just sits there awkwardly, she pouts a little. ‘Come on, make a wish and blow the candle out!’

 _I hope things will stay this good_ , they think to themself before they blow out the candle. When the candle is successfully blown out, Galinda claps excitedly. Then, she produces a hurriedly packed present from somewhere, putting it on the table in front of Elphaba. ‘Open it! Open it, Elphie!’

Now openly smiling, Elphaba picks up the gift. It feels soft, but they waste no time guessing what it is before they tear the paper away. When that is done, they can’t do anything but stare in confusion. It’s a Christmas sweater, and quite an ugly one, and not in the good way. Christmas has already passed, though, so they stare at Galinda, raising an eyebrow.

Galinda shuffles where she’s sitting. ‘Er, it was a bit last-minute? _You_ didn’t tell me it was _your birthday_ , so I had to get this all together really quickly?’ She honestly looks apologetic, and Elphaba smiles again, pulling the sweater on quickly.

‘I love it,’ they confess, meaning it. They _never_ get presents, so this means a lot. ‘I really do.’

Galinda moves to sit next to them and smiles. ‘I’m glad.’ She moves her hand to smooth out Elphaba’s hair that’s now sticking out in odd places, and their breath hitches. Her hand freezes mid-air as she stares at Elphaba. ‘Oh.’

Elphaba has no time to ask what’s wrong, because suddenly Galinda’s lips are on Elphaba’s, and Galinda is _kissing_ them, and _holy crap is this really happening?_

A moment later, Galinda breaks the kiss, smiling at Elphaba. Of course, the not-kissing is a thing that should not be happening right now, so Elphaba moves to kiss Galinda, and they’re both smiling as their lips join, and it’s awkward and _amazing_.

Elphaba decides that this has got to be the best birthday ever.


End file.
